


paired with you

by freezerjerky



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Kaiju, Amusement Parks, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-18 17:39:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16521641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freezerjerky/pseuds/freezerjerky
Summary: When he steps forward, he awkwardly holds up a finger, announcing that he’s on the ride alone. The attendant guides him towards the person standing off to the side and Newt’s breath catches in his throat. The person standing before him is even more perfect than anything he could imagine. He’s got a rather terrible haircut, but in that charmingly ironic way. He’s wearing, God help the man, a sweater vest in the middle of an amusement park and Newt’s about ready to propose to him right then and there. When Newt sees the floral print cane the stranger is using, he’s already head over heels in love. Or something very love adjacent, even Newt knows he can’t fall in love with someone instantly.“Hi, I’m Newt,” he greets and holds out his hand.





	paired with you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zach_stone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zach_stone/gifts).



> For aj based on [this](http://joshuawashinton.tumblr.com/post/179501670257/typical-torii-endreal-callmebliss) tumblr post.
> 
> At an unspecified not real amusement park and I am throwing 0 shade at Disney maybe.

The sign is mocking Newt. “Singles Will Be Paired.” Of course he’s already that loser who’s at an amusement park alone, skipping out on a day at a supremely boring conference. He really tried to enjoy the conference, to learn from his peers, but instead he felt endlessly bored staring up at old men talking about outdated biology. So instead, he cut out early and headed to a nearby amusement park. Only it turns out that going to an amusement park alone can be pretty lonely. He wonders why he didn’t simply choose to get an earlier train home, or spend his day in the hotel room watching bad daytime television.

A lot of the rides he’s done without issue, they’re in groups, or they’ll let him go alone. This roller coaster, though, one of the central features of the park, insists that he’s paired with someone. There’s a long stretch ahead of him, and everyone seems to already have someone or a group. He can’t see any other single riders around. It only further illustrates just how profoundly alone he is in this, how much he wants to be paired. And the issue is, he means this in a more meaningful way. But an amusement park is not the place to be sad about being desperately single. Amusement parks are, after all, supposed to be a place of joy.

Newt bounces on the balls of his feet, glancing ahead and behind to see if he can find anyone he’s likely to be paired with. How has fate managed it that all of the people near him are already paired off? Do these people do math before deciding whether or not to go on a ride? He glances up at the sign again and feels all the more acutely how much it’s mocking him. He refuses to let this continue to mock him.

There’s a young couple standing behind him, looking very amused at his nervous energy as he glances up at the sign. Newt’s learned to lean into awkwardness, but there’s something distressing about a couple seeing his shame. Or not shame, he’s a strong independent man who doesn’t need someone else. Newt is not only good at embracing awkward situations, but he also knows how to find the humor in any situation.

“Hey,” Newt says awkwardly to the pair behind him. “Do you want to take a picture of me with this sign?” He holds out his phone and the shorter woman of the two takes it with an amused expression.

“Do a thumb’s up or something,” her girlfriend adds. 

He really wants to roll his eyes but he agrees, posing in front of the sign, a subtle and tongue-in-cheek call for a partner. The photo is done in an instant and when he sees it, he looks a bit manic, but happy enough. It’s better than being in a conference, after all.

Ever creative, as Newt looks down at the photo, his mind starts to go through the possibilities. In the first, he gets to the front and is greeted by a Gillian Anderson look-a-like who immediately says she’s been waiting for him for her whole life. When they sit on the roller coaster, they hold hands and Newt knows they’re going to be together forever. Maybe they’ll even get to solve some crimes involving aliens and everything will be perfect. By the end of the night they’re engaged and have solved at least two mysteries of the galaxy..

The second scenario he conjures involves a rather buff man, a Channing Tatum type. Nothing too muscular or overdone, but definitely still charmingly strong and put together. Someone he wouldn’t be surprised knits in his free time despite seeming like the type of man who spends all of his free time in the gym. In fact, the abs happened all on their own. They wouldn’t talk while on the ride, but afterwards they’d go back to Mr. Tatum’s hotel room and have a very enjoyable afternoon. Sure, they’d never talk again afterwards, but he’d always refer to Newt as the one that got away which means something. 

Newt’s just ventured onto fantasy three, where he’s met with a mystery person with long blond hair when he has to step forward. There’s only about two minutes left, if even that, and he thinks he can catch sight of someone standing off to the side awkwardly. They’re definitely no Dana Scully or a mystery blond or a Hollywood hunk, but this isn’t a romantic experience. This is a roller coaster ride that should take him all of five minutes of his time total. He doesn’t care who he’s paired with, honestly.

When he steps forward, he awkwardly holds up a finger, announcing that he’s on the ride alone. The attendant guides him towards the person standing off to the side and Newt’s breath catches in his throat. The person standing before him is even more perfect than anything he could imagine. He’s got a rather terrible haircut, but in that charmingly ironic way. He’s wearing, God help the man, a sweater vest in the middle of an amusement park and Newt’s about ready to propose to him right then and there. When Newt sees the floral print cane the stranger is using, he’s already head over heels in love. Or something very love adjacent, even Newt knows he can’t fall in love with someone instantly.

“Hi, I’m Newt,” he greets and holds out his hand. 

“Hermann,” the stranger answers dourly, but he doesn’t take his hand. His face stays rather grim for an amusement park goer. Newt is determined to make that handsome face shift into a smile.

“Come here alone?” Newt asks as Hermann climbs into the cart. Only after he’s seated does Newt follow him. Newt watches as he folds up the cane, gripping it carefully in his hand.

“No. I’m here with my sister and her two children.” Hermann stares ahead as the attendant pulls down the lap bar.

“And why are they not here?”

“Because I have a threshold for spending time with people under the age of ten. I’m assuming you’re here alone.”

“I am.” Newt grips onto the bar. His stomach is lurching with that familiar anxiety he feels when going on rides like these. Usually he has an anxiety threshold, maybe three or four rides that make him feel this sort of anxiety before he has to step back, spend the rest of his day eating cotton candy and riding the most mundane rides of all. “Skipped out of a conference I was attending.”

Hermann snorts and Newt thinks it’s the cutest thing he’s ever heard, even if it’s slightly mocking.

“And what was this conference about?” Hermann asks, as the ride starts to move forward, beginning the climb up the hill.

“Marine biology.”

Newt thinks Hermann’s asking him a question then but he can’t tell, because they’re at the top of the hill. In the next moment, Newt’s screaming and reaching for Hermann’s hand as they lurch down the hill. God, he really hopes that’s only the anxiety feeling in his stomach and he’s not actually going to end up barfing. Usually if he makes it past the first hill, Newt can get through the rest of the ride. For ages, he’d been anxious about the loops, but he has faith he can survive this without embarrassing himself too horrifically. 

 

At the end of the ride, Newt’s hair is a mess. His glasses have almost fallen off of his face. He’s a bit green in the face. Except for slightly wind swept hair, Hermann looks about the same as he did before the ride, perhaps a bit more rosy cheeked and with messy hair, but certainly composed looking. That is he looks composed until he stumbles off of the ride and heaves into a nearby garbage can. Newt doesn’t know this man. They’re strangers. Two people passing in the night, but he doesn’t want to leave him alone, so he lingers nearby, holding the cane that Hermann had neatly tucked into the ride out to him. If Newt hadn’t grabbed it, it may have been left behind and Newt doesn’t know how much or little Hermann needs to use it.

He ends up hovering, holding out the cane when his new acquaintance recovers.

“Apologies,” Hermann mutters. “I do not quite have the stomach for-”

“It’s alright.” How tragic it is to still find someone so attractive after what he’s seen him doing. He still thinks Hermann’s the most beautiful man he’s ever had the pleasure of seeing. “Do you want me to get you something? A drink? Some medicine?”

“I’m fine.” Hermann looks mostly recovered, at least, if not a little bit embarrassed. Mostly Newt’s just relieved that he’s not the one who ended up barfing. Now, by default, he can’t embarrass himself too much. In theory. Hermann takes the cane from him, unfolding it quickly so he can start walking.

“I don’t mind,” Newt says, following after him. He’s not really sure if Hermann will want this, but he’s going to take his chance.

“You don’t mind what?”

“Getting you a drink. Spending some time with you.”

“Surely you want to go on more rides and enjoy your day not at a conference.”

Newt grins. “I mean, just being here is better than not being at the conference and I’ve got this like...threshold. With my anxiety stuff, eventually it’s too much waiting for rides. Then I have to sit it out, eat some gross food, and call it a day.”

“Why do you go on rides that purposely make you anxious, then?”

“Because it’s fun? The fun is worth the risk.” Hermann hasn’t told him to fuck off, so he’s assuming that means he can follow along. It’s not like he has anywhere else to go and he really doesn’t want to test his anxiety too much today, especially when he’s alone and away from home. “Let me get you a drink or something, at least.”

“Are you trying to hit on me?” Hermann stops and asks him.

“Just trying to be nice.” Newt holds up both of his hands. Yes, he is trying to hit on Hermann, but it doesn’t have to be like that. Honestly he just doesn’t want to spend the rest of his day alone and if it happens to be with someone he finds attractive and potentially interesting that’s all the better for him.

“Very well.”

They stop by a nearby concession stand and Newt buys them both the largest sized drinks possible, and a soft pretzel to share. He tries not to think about the fact that this alone sets him back twenty dollars. They sit on a bench together and drink their sodas and an awkward silence falls over them. Newt doesn’t do well with silence, however. His natural state is the opposite of silence, it’s animation and shouting. He tears off a chunk of his pretzel before handing it over to Hermann, who makes a surprised face but accepts the offered food anyway.

“Thank you.” Hermann rips off his own bit and chews before speaking again. “Is your name really Newt?”

“Well, it’s Newton, but call me Newt.”

“I like Newton better,” Hermann states.

“Well, you can call me Newton, as long as you keep calling me.”

Instead of answering, Hermann takes a long sip of his soda. The lack of answer is probably not a good sign and Newt’s not going to push it. After all, he’s in a place that isn’t home with a stranger, so it’s not like he’s likely to ever see Hermann again.

“Where’s uh-” Newt starts. “Where’s home for you, Hermann? Somewhere in England, I’m assuming?” Hermann’s accent is something Newt would consider posh, but he knows that’s probably not true. What’s more likely is that Newt doesn’t understand the majority of British accents at all. What he knows is what really matters: he thinks it’s cute.

“I’ve just accepted a job in Boston, but I’ve been living in England for the past several years.”

“Boston? I live in Boston!” 

This is alarmingly good luck, the fact that he’s met the man of his dreams and they happen to live in the same city. Theoretically, he could see Hermann again, if Hermann would want to see him again. Newt’s imagining telling their chubby cheeked grandchildren this meet-cute story where they rode on a rollercoaster and Hermann puked a bit, but everything else was perfect. Of course, this is all assuming Hermann even considers talking to him again, let alone going on a date with him. 

“Perhaps you could give me some recommendations.”

That’s certainly progress. He could give Hermann recommendations by taking him places, showing him his favorite restaurants and haunts around the city. They’ll have dinner and after three or four dates, Newt will already be certain he’s madly in love with Hermann. He feels half in love with him sitting on the bench, but he reminds himself that he has to subdue these feelings. He tends to get carried away.

“Yeah! I know lots of good places around the city. Where are you working in Boston?”

“MIT,” Hermann remarks. His tone is neutral, but there’s a hint of something like pride to his tone.

Newt feels like some holy force is working for him today. Like the energy of all of his strange fantasies is being concentrated on this one person. Like if he plays his cards right, everything’s going to play out to absolute perfection. He just has to work at not fucking this up in the span of the next few hours.

“You’re shitting me,” Newt answers. “I teach there! Are you a professor too?”

“You’re a professor?” Hermann levels a skeptical glance at him, eyeing his ripped jeans and t-shirt.

“Yeah, I’m also one of their youngest graduates to date. I’m sort of a prodigy.”

The most unfair thing in the world is the fact that Hermann’s still attractive when he rolls his eyes. Newt wonders if he can make him do that again, to annoy him in such a charming way. (At least he hopes Hermann finds this at least partially charming.)

“Yes, I have accepted a position in the Mathematics department.”

The groan that escapes Newt is involuntary, honestly it is. Of course Hermann has to have one flaw and of course that flaw has to be that he teaches the most boring, least sexy thing of all. He supposes there are worse things to overcome, it can be just another obstacle to tell their grandchildren when they sit them down to tell the story of how they met. But it’s still unfortunate in that moment. Hermann grips the edge of the cane and starts to stand. Newt has all of three seconds to recover this.

“Sorry!” Newt blurts out. “That was totally rude of me, and it takes a lot for me to admit when I’m rude. I’m excited for you. We should definitely get coffee sometime when the semester starts.”

Hermann settles back down on the bench. “I would not be opposed to coffee.” He pulls out his phone and passes it over to Newt.

“Do you want me to-” Newt eyes the phone, waiting for Hermann to nod for him to proceed. He types in his number and shoots off a text. The message is an innocent hello, but Newt’s name in his phone is accompanied by a peach emoji for good measure. He’s tempted to include some hearts but that seems a bit forward for someone he met such a short time ago. Obviously it’s up to Hermann to decide if he wants to include hearts.

“I don’t suppose you want to wait in another long line with me to avoid me having to go on the children’s rides with eight year olds?” Hermann asks, pocketing his phone.

“Nothing that’s going to make either of us sick.”

“Of course.”

 

They end up in an absurdly long line for a boat ride. Newt has heard it described as a Small World rip-off and probably not the most macho or mature choice, but it means they can talk on the ride as well. It also means neither of them is going to potentially create an embarrassing situation during or after the ride.

“Just think, if we’d been in this line separately, we’d have never met,” Newt observes. “Single riders are totally allowed here.”

“And you are a single rider, right?” Hermann asks and for a moment Newt’s confused.

“I’m not. I’m here with you now. At least I figured we would sit together on this ride.” Newt leans against the railing of a rustic looking fence. He doesn’t see any reason why they wouldn’t sit next to each other in the boat, especially because it reduces the chances of being paired with children.

“That’s not what I mean.” Hermann’s mouth forms an alarmingly straight line when he frowns. He looks a bit like an amphibian but in the cutest possible way.

“Oh! Oh! Yeah, I’m single- also pretty open. To all sorts of people. Datingwise. I know it must be surprising when I’m such a catch and all-” And then it dawns on Newt that he hasn’t bothered to ask the same of Hermann. If Hermann’s not single, it’s certainly going to make the peach emoji on his contact even more awkward than it already is. “Are you single as well?”

“You certainly hope so after how much you’ve attempted to flirt with me,” Hermann states. “Yes, I am single, romantically interested in men, and unattached. Hence the fact that I just packed up and moved to a different continent.”

“I’m not attempting to flirt with you,” Newt says. “I’m succeeding, for the most part, because here you are, standing an hour in line for a mediocre ride. With me.”

“You vastly underestimate my ability to spend time with eight year old twins. They’ve had excessive amounts of sugar today, you know. Their mother let them have cotton candy with their lunch.”

“As is their right at an amusement park.” Newt grins over at him. “So does your sister live here or are you all visiting?”

“My sister lives in Germany, but she’s come here to help me move. We took a bit of a trip now that I’m set up in my apartment.”

Newt steps away from the fence, ventures standing closer to Hermann. “How long are you here for?”

“Today is the last day, thankfully.” Hermann taps his cane on the ground. “When do you leave?”

“First thing tomorrow morning.”

“Perhaps, then, you could come to dinner with us tonight. Give Karla and I some adult conversation that isn’t the same, overused topics. You can only recount childhood memories over so many dinners.”

“Yeah, I mean there was some convention happy hour I was gonna go to, but I think I can just...skip that.” Newt grins at him. Overpriced drinks or the potential to impress a super cute guy? That’s an obvious answer.

In the next moment the attendant whistles at them to move forward. They end up sitting in the very back row of the boat. Newt debates doing some cheesy first date movie theater maneuver to get his arm over Hermann’s shoulder, but he refrains. He suspects that Hermann’s not the type for such easy PDA and he wouldn’t want to ruin his small chances he already has. After all, while Hermann’s commented on Newt’s flirting attempts, he hasn’t exactly verified that he’s interested in flirting back or showing any sort of interest in return in this situation. Instead he settles with sitting as close as he can and pointing at the more absurd animatronics on the ride.

Hermann’s general expression is indifferent, his face doesn’t betray much that he’s feeling. It’s not impassive, and it’s not a resting unpleasant face, it’s calculated, as if he’s afraid to show too much emotion in a public setting. Newt wonders what he’s like in private, if he’s a man who unfolds into multitudes.

Newt’s got slightly caught up in his head when one of the animatronics drops from the ceiling, giving them both of a shock. Hermann clutches his arm in the moment of shock and Newt has to bite back the smile at being touched like this. There’s a blush on Hermann’s cheek when he pulls his hands away and even that’s after he lets them linger a few moments too long. Hermann smiles at him and Newt feels like he’s won some unprecedented victory.

“Apologies, Newton,” Hermann half whispers.

“Newton? I said you can just call me Newt and you’re still pulling out the first name? That’s very formal of you.”

“I don’t see what the harm is. It’s a charming and strong name.”

“And Newt isn’t?” he teases. Newt’s chosen both names for himself, so he really doesn’t care, but he does generally encourage the more informal option because it’s his nature.

“As long as you’re not calling me Doctor, I really don’t care what version of my name you use.”

“Then Newton it is.”

Something about Hermann using his full name makes it feel special. Literally everyone in his life, including most of his students, use Newt’s nickname when referring to him. Anyone who uses Newton in full stands out and Newt wonders if Hermann’s aware of the fact that this is a distinction to him. Newt purposely shifts in his seat so he’s a bit closer to Hermann and he lets him. He doesn’t want to be too optimistic, but he thinks it’s possible that Hermann’s resting his hand so their fingers brush together as they sit through the remainder of the ride. It would be so easy to grasp Hermann’s hand in his own, but that’s a next step. Newt believes in doing things one step at a time so he can do them the right way. At least when he’s met someone he’s as attracted to as he is the man sitting next to him.

 

After the ride, Newt insists they stop for some cotton candy. Hermann seems preoccupied with his phone and Newt would be worried, except he’s checking in on his sister and the children. It’s only fair that Hermann’s returning his focus back to his family.

“My sister’s requested that we meet her near the entrance of the park. She’s very curious about how I’ve spontaneously obtained a young man.”

Newt pauses with his cotton candy halfway to his face and then laughs. “You’ve certainly obtained me.”

“For better or for worse.”

Hermann pulls some of the cotton candy out of Newt’s bag.

“Is there anything I need to know about your sister or the kids?” Newt asks. “So I can give a good first impression.”

“I think you’ll be just fine,” Hermann responds, even as he eyes Newt up dubiously. Newt wonders how long it’ll take for Hermann’s glances to make him feel anything but uneasy. The feeling that maybe, just maybe, this will never end is thrilling to him.

They’re not too far from the entrance to the park and after the short walk, two children immediately rush to Hermann, demanding his attention and hugs. That’s the most precious thing of all, seeing the man who claimed to have a threshold for time with children immediately light up in the presence of the children he cares about. Newt’s already considering if he can propose on something that isn’t actually a first date. He’s probably kidding now, he’s already gone off the deep end.

They end up at a family friendly restaurant afterwards, which is completely in Newt’s element. Hermann eyes him nervously across the table throughout dinner, but Newt spends the first half quietly coloring alongside his niece and the second half talking to his sister about what he does for a living. The children both perk up when Newt talks about his work with octopuses and he draws a detailed anatomy drawing of one to accompany the sillier drawings he’s already done. 

Basically, when all is said and done, he thinks he’s nailed it. 

When dinner’s done, Karla drives Newt back to his hotel. Newt waves at the kids when he slips out of the car and he’s surprised to see Hermann peering out of the window. He leans over when Hermann rolls down the window.

“Thank you for spending the day with me,” Hermann states. “I look forward to getting coffee with you, Newt with the peach emoji.”

“Ah, you’ve seen that?” Newt blushes and rubs the back of his neck.

“Well, there is some truth to it, so it’s fair.”

Newt laughs then and they share an awkwardly silent moment, followed by the very awkward press of their mouths together. He’s not even sure which of them initiated, but it’s over almost as quickly as it happened. The kiss is met with sounds of exaggerated disgust followed by an explosive giggle on part of two children.

He sticks his tongue out at the kids and waves as the car drives off. When he’s back in his hotel room, Newt sends Hermann the picture the young women took of him before the ride earlier that day. Hopefully Hermann appreciates the joke. Either way, he saves his name in his contacts with a flurry of heart emojis.

**Author's Note:**

> pendragoff @ tumblr and newtguzzler @ twitter


End file.
